Electric clock.



No. 709,234. Patented Sept. l6, I902.

c. J. MOBEBG, ELECTRIC CLOCK. (Application filed Mai 26, 1897. Renewed Jan. 17, 1901.)

5 Sheets- Sheet l.

040 Model.)

INVENTOR- wy w ATTORNEY I 0., msrgmafou o r.

Patented Sept. I6, I902.

C. J. MDBERG.

ELECTRIC CLOCK;

(Application filed May 26, 1897. Renewed Jan. 17, 1901.)

5 Sheets Sheet 2.

(No'ModeL) THE worms PETEns co, woruumov, WASHINGTON, a c

No. 709,234. Patented Sept. l6, I902. c. J. MUBERG.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

(Application filed May 26, 1897. Renewed Jan. 17, 1901.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3\ In 5 5 f as 2 2 p u C i y t g 2i 3 O 1 f (13 31110 12 g t' I c, P2

W|TNESSES:' I INVENTDR 4 m 4. gwmm. I

Patented Sept. l6, I902.

C. J. M OBERG. ELECTRIC CLOCK; (Application filed May 26, 1897. Renewed Jan. 17, 1901.),

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(NoModeL) ATTOR N EY 7 No. 709,234. Patented Sept. 16-, I902.

c. J. MOBERG. ELECTRIC CLOCK.

(Application filed May 26, 1897. Renewed Jan. 17, 1901.)

(No Model.) '5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY "m: ucams PETERS co, Pno'rmumo, WASHINGTON, mc.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL JOSEPH MOBERG, OF JERSEY CITY, NEWV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 ADA E. SCHATZ, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,234, dated September 16, 1902.

Application filed May 26, 1897. Renewed January 17,1901. Serial No. 43,629. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL J osnrn MoBERe, a citizen of Sweden, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric clocks in which the movements are effected by electric impulses imparted intermitt-ingly to the pendulum of the clock; and it consists of improvements in the apparatus of the time-train and striking-train and improved devices for indicating in advance of the exhaustion of the battery the requirement of a new one. It also consists of an improved contrivance for a detachable connection of the pendulum-bob and an improved construction of the geartrain-supporting frame, as hereinafter described, refereuce being made to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a front elevation of my improved electric clock, showing a diagram of the circuits. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the works back of the line 2 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the works as seen looking from the right hand of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail in side elevation illustrating the detachable contrivance of the pendulum-bob. Fig. 5 is a detail of the contact apparatus for working the pendulum in front elevation and enlarged. Flg. 6 is a detail of the contact apparatus for working the pendulum and also for working the striking apparatus, this figure being also a front elevation and enlarged. The contact-springs are also shown in plan view in Fig. 6. Figs. 7 and 7 represent in detail in plan view the mechanism for working both the ti me-train and the striking-train, including the striking-wheel, the scale being same as that of Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 8 is a detail of the gear-train-supporting frame in front elevation, and Fig. 9 is a plan View of said frame with a part in section.

The bar a of the pendulum is suspended at b in the usual manner.

d represents the electromagnet, and c the armature for working the pendulum, the electromagnet. being fixedly mounted on the housing-framef, and the armature is attached to the pendulum by the arm g.

72 represents the electromagnet for work= ing the hammer 2' through the armature j, piv oted at 7c, and to which the hammer-staff is connected.

The battery is indicated at Z.

721 is the wire connecting the electromagnets cl and h with the battery, said wire being direct to electromagnet d and branched at m for connection with the electromagnet h.

n and 71 represent the magnet-contacts; 0 and o the contacts in connection with the return-wire p.

The pendulum-bar a carries a stud-pin g, which engages the upper end of a levers, pivoted at t, on which pivot is an arm it, which carries the hook-paw] o for periodically closing the pendulum-actuating circuit and for working ratchet-wheel to, that turns the seconds-hand a: of the time-train on the staff y. The pawl for actuating the wheel 10 is carried on the pawl-lever a, pivoted on staff y and having a hook I), with which pawl 17 engages so long as the pendulum swings far enough for said pawl v to reach the hook, and the movement of pawl sis limited to thelength of one notch of wheel to by the rocker extension 0 of lever a under the extension (1 of the bar of pawl c, which act as an escapement device to release the pawl o from the hook I). \Vhile the swing of the pendulum is sufficient for this operation, there is no transmission of electric impulses, and the amplitude of the range of the pendulum gradually diminishes until pawl o fails to reach hook I). Then said pawl engages the point of another lever e for closing the contact, said lever being also pivoted on the staff y and normally rests against the stop f, with its point sufficiently lower than the point of hook I) for said hook to serve as a carrier for pawl 22 to pass over said point, while the impulses enable pawl 1; to reach said carrier. The lever e carries a platinum pin g near its upper end, which reaches under the contact-springs n and 0, secured to the insulating-block h and respectively connected with the wires m and 13, thus making the electrical connection for energizing the electromagnet d to give new impulses to the pendulum. The pawl-lever a has a stud-pin j, which rests against the upper side of lever e to limit the back movement of lever a, and this pin moves said lever a forward when lever e is engaged by pawl o, and its rocker 0' effects escapement of pawl '11 same as when lever a, is engaged by said pawl o. A gravitating retaining-pawl 2" is suitably arranged with the ratchet-wheel w to prevent reverse action. For the striking-train there is the usual striking-wheel k, notched in the periphery, as commonly arranged, and a ratchet-wheel Z for turning it, said wheels being connected side by side to a pivot f suitably for the ratchet-wheel to turn the striking-wheel and mounted in the end of a lever p, pivoted on the staff q, said wheels being located just back of the seconds-hand wheel and about in the same axis, so that pawl 2, having a branch 2'', may also actuate wheel at times when the striking-wheel is to be operated. The ratchet-wheel Z is notched to correspond with the number of strikes to be effected in twelve hours. On the same staff q whereon the lever 19 is pivoted is a sleeve .9, on which is an arm 25, having a lifting-incline u in range of a stud-pin 0), moving in unison with the minute-wheel w to lift said arm once an hour. The sleeve 3 also has another arm on, on which is a lifting-incline g, which comes in range of a stud a of the seconds-hand wheel to when arm 15' is lifted by stud y. This arm 00 now turns sleeve 8' still farther, and at this time said sleeve turns staif q, and thereby raises ratchet-wheel Z into engagement with pawl branch 2' by lever p and at the same time releases strikingwheel is from stop-pin 5 on which pin said wheel dropsand rests at one of its peripheral notches when striking ceases. The sleeve 3 is keyed to stafi g by a pin 5 of the staff and a hole in the sleeve, said hole being larger than the pin to allow the arm 00 to rise up into range of pin a prior to taking effect on stafi g, as above stated. When the strikingtrain is so released, the pawl branch 2 sets the striking-wheel in motion, and at the same time the insulated lifter c on lever 19 makes contact between springs n and 0 by raising them so that the platinum tip (1 carried in the lower extremity of lever s, touches the upwardly-bent ends of said springs (see Figs. 6 and 6) at each beat of the pendulum, and thereby closes the circuit and sets the striking-hammer in motion through the electromagnet hand the armaturej to take effect on the gong 6 The spring f which is employed to retract the hammer, is made more powerful than is required for such purpose merely, to be also utilized for a mechanical resistance to the electric impulses of sufficient power to overcome the force of the current as it weakens when the power of the battery is nearly spent and prevent the action of the hammer while the strength of the current is still amplc to work the rest of the clock as a means of indicating by the cessation of the striking that the battery needs renewal and calling attention to the battery before the clock stops. In addition to the mechanical resistance or without such resistance I also propose to employ an electric resistance, as the resistance-coil g (see Fig. 1,) for the same purpose, or instead of either of these I may utilize lower resistance of the electromagnet of the striking-train. With lower resistance in the electromagnet of the striking-train more current would be required to actuate it, because it would absorb more of the current. Consequently as the equal currents in the two circuits diminish the striking-train would first fail to have snfficient current and would first cease to operate. For enabling the adjustment of the pendulum-bob before sending out the clock and adapting it for detachment and for replacement again without alteration of the adjusting devices I make the bob in two parts, as h adapted to be clamped together on the bar in any suitable way. In this case I represent a notch in the upper end of the adjusting-nut 2' adapted to seat the lower edges of the two parts so they will close together around the bar, with a snap-hook 7' attached to one part near the upper edge suitably to catch the other part through a notch in it, (indicated by the dotted line at 10 said catch projecting through slot Z in the bar 66.

It will be seen that the bob may be adjusted to the right position by the nut 01 and said nut be secured by the check-nut m and the bob may then be taken off for shipmentor the like and be again put on without altering the adjustment of the nuts, and it will be understood that other means of detachably connecting the bob may be employed.

In the frame for supporting the works there is first a main housing-framef, supported at a suitable distance in front. of the back plate 0 by four pillars 19 from the top of which plate the pendulum is suspended by the stud Z). From the lower part of this housing there are two pillars t ,projecting frontward, whereon there is one series of up wardly-arched bridges a and another series of downwardly-arched bridges/v all carried on the pillars 27 with spacing-collars 112 secured by nuts m screwed onto the outer ends of the said pillars. The innermost upwardlyarched bridge a has a standard T, in the upper end of which the outer end of the pivot t, carrying the pawl-arm tt,lS mounted. These bridges are all of uniform size and shape, and the holes for the pillars, except the two bridges having the extensions g and Z2, respectively, may be shaped and punched by one pair of dies, which is a material item of economy in cost of construction. The frame is more simple to puttogether and there are fewer parts in the completed structure. There is also a considerable economy of material as com pared with the plates necessary where each plate is attached separately by independent pillars. 'lhe secondshand staff y is pivoted in the innermost downwardly-arched bridge U2 for its inner support and extends through the minutehand and hour-hand sleeves a and b mounted coincidently therewith in the other bridges '0 The back gears d and e f for reducing the motion for the minute-hand and hour-hand, respectively, are pivoted in the upwardly-arched bridges M The staff q is pivoted at the front end in a downwardly-extended bracket g of the outermost bridge 4%, and at the inner end said stafi is pivoted in the housing f. These bridges consist of pieces of thin flat plate, such as may be stamped out of sheets in a simple and inexpensive manner, and the spacing collars may be cheaply produced by sawing tubes in short pieces. The number of strokes for the respective hours is governed by the lengths between the notches of the peripheral sections of wheel is, which are so graduated that while said wheel rests on pin 11 it will be shifted to the extent of one tooth of wheel Z at each double stroke of the pendulum, and the circuit of the striking apparatus will be correspondingly closed by the contacts 91' and 61 The shortest peripheral section of said wheel holds it up subject to the actuating-pawl ,2 during the period of one stroke, and the longest section maintains the same relation of said wheel during the period of twelve strokes. By the arrangement of the striking-wheels in the axis of the time-train and for being actuated by the same pawl .e that actuates the time-train the wheel Z may be made with the same number of teeth as the seconds-hand wheel 10. In the contrivance of the back gears I have arranged to make the wheels 9 6 w, and c all the same size, whereby the blanks can all be punched by one pair of dies, which is a considerable economy in the cost of such dies.

I claim 1. The combination in a pendulum-actuating circuit of a circuit-closing lever, a pawl synchronously actuated by the pendulum for actuating said lever, and a pawl-carrying device whereon the pawl rests and reciprocates said device preventing engagement of said pawl with the lever while the impulses enable said pawl to reach said carrier, and permitting engagement when the pawl fails to reach thereto substantially as described.

2. The combination in a pendulum-actuating circuit, of a circuit-closing lever, a pawl synchronously actuated by the pendulum for actuating said lever, a pawl-carrying device whereon the pawl rests and reciprocates said device prevent-ing engagement of said pawl with said lever while the impulses enable said pawl to reach said carrier, and permitting engagement when the pawl fails to reach thereto, and a time-train-actuating pawl said pawl being an attachment of the pendulum-pawl carrier substantially as described.

3. The combination with the train-actuating mechanism, the pendulum and the pawl actuated by the pendulum, of a contact-lever adapted to be engaged by the pendulum-pawl when said pawl fails to catch the train-driving pawl,'said contact-lever also adapted to actuate the train-pawl when not actuated by the pendulum-pawl substantially as described.

4. The combination in the pendulum-actuating circuit, of the hook-pawl actuated by the pendulum, time-train-actuating pawl-lever and pawl, actuated by said hook-pawl, the pawl-carrying device for releasing the train-actuating pawl, and means for periodically closing the circuit substantially as described.

5. The combination in the pendulum-actuating circuit, of the hook-pawl actuated by the pendulum, time-train-actuating pawl-lever and pawl actuated by said hook-pawl, pawl-carrying device for releasing the trainactuating pawl, the circuit-closing lever, and circuit-closing contact-springs substantially as described.

6. The combination in the pendulum-actuating circuit, of the hook-pawl actuated by the pendulum, contactsprings, pawl-lever having the pawl-engaging hook, the train-actuating pawl and the pawl-detaching rocker, contact-lever adapted to be engaged by the pawl when failing to reach the hook, and the circuit-closing pin of the contact-lever, substantially as described.

7. The combination in the pendulum-actuating circuit, of the hook-pawl actuated by the pendulum, contact -springs, pawl-lever having the engaging hook and the pawl-detaching rocker, contact-lever adapted to be engaged by the pawl when failing to reach the hook, circuit-closing pin of the contactlever, said lever pivoted in the axis of the seconds-hand stafif, and the pawl of the said pawl-lever engaging the seconds-hand wheel substantially as described.

8. The combination in the pendulum-actuating circuit, of the hook-pawl actuated by the pendulum, pawl-lever and pawl actuated by said hook-pawl for actuating the timetrain and means actuated by said pendulumactuated pawl for periodically closing'the circuit, and means also actuated by said pawl to periodically actuate the striking-train substantially as described.

9. In an electric clock, the combination of the time-train, striking-train pawl adapted to actuate both trains in their due order of operation, and the hook-pawl actuated by the pendulum and actuating said train-actuating pawl substantially as described.

10. The combination in the pend ulu ui-actuating circuit, of the hook-pawl actuated by the pendulum, means actuated by said pawl for periodically closing the circuit, and to actuate the time-train, and also to periodically actuate the striking-train said striking-train being periodically movable into and out of connection with the time-train-actuating device, and provided with means therefor substantially as described.

ll. The combination in the hammer-actuating circuit, of the contact-springs, the lever actuated by the pendulum, circuitclosing piece in the extremity of said lever, the striking-wheel and its actuating-wheel on a movable support, means actuated by the secondshand wheel to close the circuit by movement of said striking-wheel support, and a pawl actuated by the pendulum adapted to actuate the striking-wheel periodically substantially as described.

12. The combination with the time-train in an electric clock, of the striking-train consisting of two wheels secured to the same axis and always moving together, and means to actuate said train periodically by the timetrain-actuating pawl, said striking-train being periodically movable into and out of contact with the time-train-actuatingdevice substantially as described.

13. The combination with the time-train in an electric clock, of a striking-train that is movable out of its resting-place for striking, and means actuated by the time-train for so moving the striking-train, substantially as described.

14. In an electric clock the framework for supporting the trains consisting of two series of uniform arched pivot-supporting bridges placed in alternately upright and reversed relation and all mounted at their extremities on a supporting-pillar which serves alike for both series and is continuous through all the bridges with suitable spacing collars, the time-indicating staffs being pivoted in one series of bridges, and back gear-pivots in the other series of bridges substantially as described.

15. The combination in the hammer-actuating circuit, of the contact-sprin gs, stop-stud for the striking-wheel, said striking-wheel located on a movable support intermediately of the stud and contact-springs, means actuated by the seconds-hand wheel to close the circuit and release the striking-wheel from the stop-stud by movement of said striking-wheel support,and means actuated by the pendulum for periodically turning, the strikingwheel substantially as described.

16. The combination in the hammer-actuating circuit, of the contact-springs, striking- Wheel, and its actuating-wheel located on a movable support, and about in the axis of the seconds-hand staff, means actuated by the seconds-hand wheel to periodically close the circuit by movement of said striking-wheel support, and a pawl actuated by the pendulum, and adapted to operate the striking-wheel-actuating wheel when its support is moved for closing the circuit substantially as described.

17. The combination in the hammer-actuating circuit, of the contact-springs, strikingwheel and its actuating-wheel located on a movable support, and about in the axis of the seconds-hand stafi, means actuated by the seconds-hand wheel to periodically close the circuit by movement of said striking-wheel sup port, and a pawl actuated by the pendulum and consisting of a branch of the secondshand-wheel-actuating pawl adapted to operate the striking-wheel-actuating wheel when its support is moved for closing the circuit substantially as described.

18. In an electric clock, the combination with independent electric actuating mechanisms for the time-train and the striking-train respectively, of independent impelling electric currents therefor, of equal electromotive force, and a resistance device in the circuit of the striking-train, whereby operation of the striking-train will cease through diminishing power of the battery prior to cessation of operation by the time-train substantially as described.

19. An electric clock-striking train provided with means adapted to terminate its action in advance of the termination of the action of the time-train said trains being actuated by independent circuits of equal tension, substantially as described.

20. In an electric clock having independent circuits and currents of equal tension for actuating the pendulum and striking mechanism respectively, the combination in the hammer-actuating circuit, of an electrical resistance adapted to terminate the action of the striking-train prior to the termination of the action of the time-train when the force of the currents diminishes substantially as described.

21. In a clock-pendulum the combination with the bar, and the bob-adjusting devices, of a bob that is detachable and attachable with the adjusting devices fixed to support the bob in its adjusted position, substantially as described.

22. In a clock-pendulum, the combination with the bar, and the bob-adjusting devices, of the bob constructed in two parts adapted to clamp on the bar attachably and detachably with the adjusting devices fixed to support the bob in its adjusted position and means to confine the clamped parts thereon substantially as described.

23. The combination in the striking apparatus, of the striking-wheel having the grad uated notches in the periphery for controlling the number of strokes and being automatically movable periodically into and out of connection with its actuator, a support for maintaining it in connection with the actuating mechanism during the striking, contact devices of the hammer-actuating circuit, and means to close said contacts actuated by the means efiecting connection of the striking-- wheel with its actuating device substantially as described.

24. In a pendulum-actuating circuit, the combination with a going wheel; of a pendulum operatively connected with and normally impartinga step-by-step movement to said going wheel, the amplitude of range of movement of' the pendulum gradually decreasing until the operative connection is broken; and means for automatically reviving the amplitude of range of movement of the pendulum,

said means comprising an electric circuit; a circuit-closing mechanism normally inactive with the circuit broken and an actuating device for said mechanism normally forming a portion of the operative connection between the pendulum and going wheel, said device actuating said mechanism when the movement of the pendulum is insuflicient to impart the step-by-step movement to the going Wheel.

In a pendulum-actuating circuit, apendulum; a going wheel operatively connected thereto; a circuit-closing mechanism; an actuating device for said mechanism forming a portion of the operative connection between the pendulum and going wheel; and a support for said device, said support forming a portion of said operative connection and normally CARL JOSEPH MOBERG.

Witnesses:

O. SEDGWICK, A. P. THAYER. 

